After the Fire
by StatsGrandma57
Summary: This is the follow up to A Day at the Races: Rocket Sledding. Jarik has been seriously injured. Chapter 9 concludes this section, but there will be more in the next installment.
1. Chapter 1

AFTER THE FIRE

Chapter 1

The three speeders were in flight, one transporting Jacen and Tenel Ka, one with Jaina and Jag, and one containing Han, Leia and Anakin. A tense silence permeated all three vehicles as they raced towards Okemo Point, where Jarik had been forced to eject from his rocket sled.

Jaina was sucking in deep breaths as Jag piloted their vehicle.

"You know, hon, if you need to cry, you can do it. You don't have to be a rock," he said gently to his wife.

"I'm supposed to be strong, like my parents. Like a Jedi."

"You are strong. But you can cry and it won't compromise your strength."

Jaina tried to hold it together for a little while longer. Finally, the tears came out like water from a broken dam.

Jag hoped that there'd be some good news once they arrived.

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"I'm glad we didn't bring Allana and the boys," Tenel Ka said to Jacen.

"You aren't kidding." He piloted the small speeder as carefully as one could while flying as fast as possible.

"I don't think your brother's dead," Tenel Ka said.

"I can't tell. My own emotions, they're like jumbled, I can't think straight, I just need to drive."

"Let me know if you need me to take over," Tenel Ka said softly, touching him with the prosthetic hand she'd at long last decided to acquire. Raising a young girl and twin sons had been the deciding factor.

"I will."

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Anakin was in total pain. He knew that the fault of Jarik's rocket sled lay not in him, but it was agonizing for him to know that he hadn't seen the exact problem sooner.

He knew that sometimes, the Force just wasn't there to call on for clarity. Sometimes, you could control it, but it wasn't always convenient.

If he'd been able to see the exact problem sooner, he could have warned Jarik. They could have gone and repaired the problem. Jarik would still be in the race instead of being raced to a medcenter in a sparsely populated part of Coruscant.

Leia turned to her middle son. "Anakin, you can't blame yourself for this," she said quietly.

"I should have tuned in harder to the Force. It just hit me when I was on my way in, and I wasn't getting enough detail. I just had that really bad feeling..."

"We've all had that, son," Han told him. "You tried to warn him off this morning."

"I know, but I didn't have specifics, and neither did Jaina or Jacen or Tenel Ka."

"You can only work with what you have," Han told him matter of factly. "What matters now is what we do next."

"Uncle Luke called me this morning while you were in the kitchen," Leia told Anakin. "Even he couldn't give me more detail."

"Doesn't make it better," Anakin said sadly.

"I'm not in tune with the Force, buddy," Han told him, "but let's go forward. It's the only way we're gonna help Jarik now.

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The medcenter at Okemo Point was small and less comprehensive than the large, gleaming ones that populated the Capital City, but the atmosphere was one of calm, and calm was what the entire family needed at this point.

Medical droids were programmed to have soft, gentle voices, and the ones here fit that profile entirely.

"My name is 3B28," the medic spoke in a melodious, feminine tone. "You must be Jarik Solo's family. Please have a seat and we'll talk. I am sure you will have many questions, and I will answer them all to the best of my ability."

"How is he?" Han demanded.

"He is in critical condition. Fortunately, the inflatable crash suit he wore kept him from dying, but at this moment, that still remains a possibility. He does have some burns. The most severe problem is that he has suffered several skull fractures. They are not large, but there is some accumulation of blood, and we have induced a temporary coma so that his brain is at rest and is allowed to heal."

"Is he going to wake up?" Leia asked, trying to maintain the composure

"We induced the coma, so we are hopeful, but I cannot say with certainty that he will recover completely. He was well protected, but he has many, many fractures throughout his body. We are giving him pain medication so that he will be comfortable. I would say that 48 to 72 hours will be sufficient so that we may perform surgeries, and after that, if all goes well, he will be given several bacta treatments. He is a very strong young man."

"How soon can we move him to Coruscant?" Han asked. "We're pretty far from home out here."

"Once it is safe to wake him from the coma, we will know better. I realize that while we are a small facility, we are state of the art, and we will provide the best care for him. You are very fortunate in that he has a chance of recovery. Most of the time, when we receive racers who have ejected and or crashed, it is much too late. If you will forgive me, I am intrigued by the design of the inflatable crash suit. I am surprised that it is not standard."

"My brother and I designed it together," Anakin explained, his voice barely audible.

"It is all that kept him from burning or being crushed to death."

"I'd like to see my son," Leia said, her voice strangled.

"Of course, Madam."


	2. Chapter 2

AFTER THE FIRE

Chapter 2

"I want to see my son," Leia demanded sharply.

"Madam, I appreciate how you feel, but right now, he is in bacta treatment. We want to make sure the burns he experienced are healed over before we take care of his internal injuries. According to our transport team, he is in surprisingly good shape considering the impact."

"What's this about burns?" Jaina demanded. "I thought the suit protected him!"

"It did a great deal of help. Most of his burns are on his face, although there are some on his arms and hands. He has a high potential for infection, hence the bacta treatments."

Han held Leia tightly; he wanted to be strong for her, for all of his family, despite the fact that his guts had been ripped out of him. He made a note to himself to schedule a complete nervous breakdown once Jarik was well. He refused to consider any other alternative than his son's complete recovery.

Anakin was still white as the ground on Hoth. Jacen and Jag were holding him up gently.

Han whispered to Leia, "Let me talk to Anakin."

"Sure." Jaina came to her mother, and Leia and they hugged each other tightly. Tenel Ka held fast to Jacen's arm.

Han shepherded his middle son to a sofa nearby. As was the rule in all medcenters, this one was hard and uncomfortable.

"Anakin," Han said softly. "You need to stop blaming yourself for this."

"I can't." Anakin was trying not to weep, taking in great gulps of air. "I should have probed the Force harder, trying to get specifics."

"You've said yourself that you can't always command it," Han said, laying his arm over his son's shoulder. "I think you did your due diligence here. You warned Jarik. You asked your brothers and sister and uncle. None of you had a clear vision."

"It doesn't help. My brother's still hurt."

"He's a tough kid. He'll make it." Please make it, kiddo, Han prayed silently. "You're a superb engineer."

Something in his father's voice brought him out of himself. "I need to find out who screwed with the skid rail pumps," Anakin said suddenly.

Han was pleased to see him take a positive direction instead of immersing himself in guilt and grief. "Good idea."

"I should stay here, though."

"Jarik'd want you out there figuring this out," Han said. "And while you're at it, find out who won."

I may not be Force sensitive, Han told himself. But I'm a fair anthropologist, and my sense is that whoever won the race has something to do with this.

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"Where's Anakin?" Leia asked when Han returned without him.

"He's off to find out who messed with Jarik's sled. I told him it'd be better to go out and find the monster that did this. And you guys," he turned to the four members of the younger generation, "go and help him out."

"Are you guys gonna be okay?" Jacen asked his parents.

"We'll be fine," Han lied. "Go, figure this out."

The four looked at each other. "Okay," Jaina finally relented. "Let's do this. But keep us posted."

"We will," Leia said, hugging each child. They were all deeply into their twenties, but she would forever think of them as children. Hers and Han's children.

And one of them was suffering horribly. Their unexpected child, the one who'd been in such a hurry to enter the world, the one that the kids had taken on as their mascot, the one they'd spoiled horribly, the one who didn't have to deal with the Force and all of its implications. The one who was the class clown, who found the universe to be amusing, the one who was game for anything, who loved machinery the way his father did. The one who made everyone laugh.

A nursing droid approached them. "You may see your son but only for a few minutes. Come this way."

The tank was state of the art. They could barely see Jarik in the sticky red fluid.

"He's unconscious?" Han asked.

"Yes. But he is safe in the tank. We monitor his vitals continuously."

Han was grateful that he couldn't see his son clearly. He wrapped Leia in his arms, kissing her hair, murmuring comfort. This is what I have to do, he told himself, despite the fact that he felt close to falling apart.

"Shouldn't we take him back to the capital city? I mean, the facilities there - "

"Let's wait for him to stabilize. They've got a small facility, but everything looks as good as near home. They've taken care of sled racers on this route. Let's stay here. I'm sure there has to be somewhere nearby that we can stay."

"The only place I'm going to stay is here with our son," Leia informed him, her tone unrelenting.

"Then I'm staying with you."


	3. Chapter 3

AFTER THE FIRE

Chapter 3

Jaina, Jag, Jacen and Tenel Ka arrived at the very end of the race. The holotron was showing the winner.

"Oh my gods, Quall won!" Jacen shouted.

"You mean that loser that Jarik hangs out with? Who'd he have to bribe?" Jaina said scornfully. "Sark I'd get. But Quall? I think Jarik only hangs with him because he feels sorry for him."

"Quall's one of his oldest friends," Jag reminded her.

"I don't know. Anyway, we need to find the wrecking crew and get the sled," Anakin said. He was a young man on a mission and he wasn't about to be deterred. Fortunately, it was standard procedure for those whose sleds had been destroyed to return the mess to their rightful owners, or, in the worst case scenario, to the next of kin. They weren't anticipating problems.

The winner had the option of speaking to the crowd. Usually, Jarik simply said, 'Thanks guys!' and went off to enjoy with family and friends.

Quall, however, wasn't going to be so short. "Thank you, everyone. I may have won this race. But one of the people that got me hooked on racing didn't finish today. So it's not as sweet as it could be. Jarik, hope you're gonna be okay."

The four looked at each other. "No way," Jacen said, shaking his head.

"He's not that good," Jaina said. She'd seen most of Jarik's races and Quall had never placed better than fourth in any of them.

The four looked at each other. "I bet he's behind it," Tenel Ka said.

"He's been friends with Quall for like forever," Jag protested. "I can't see it."

The rest remained silent for a moment.

Finally, Anakin spoke. "Let's get the sled. What's left of it, anyway."

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The wrecking crews were manned, so to speak, with droids. It was customary for those whose vehicles had been damaged to want them back; they represented huge numbers of credits to the racer, and when the racer failed to survive, were taken by families and friends.

The droids were putting the pieces of Jarik's sled into plastiseal containers.

"We're Jarik Solo's family," Jaina informed the droid who was packing and simultaneously fighting off Jawas, who were always looking to score. Sleds contained valuable metals and chemicals.

"I recognize you. Yes." The droid continued his packing with one hand and pushed a Jawa off with the other. These were workhorse droids; they were given just enough intelligence to do their jobs.

More Jawas were approaching. "Get outta here!" Anakin roared at two of them. Not only did the Jawas beat a hasty retreat, but the siblings' jaws were hanging open. Anakin almost never raised his voice. Hearing the rage in it was shocking albeit understandable.

"Can we help you?" Jacen asked the droid.

"Yes."

"Okay, guys, let's do this." The five of them began carefully packing up the wreckage.

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Jarik was removed from bacta treatment after eighteen hours. The med droid warned that more treatments were necessary but this time, they would wait for the patient to attain consciousness. The bleeding in his brain had decreased, although the fractures remained. The droid told Han and Leia that the need for an induced coma was no longer necessary, but that if Jarik woke up, he'd have a hell of a headache.

"Bacta, the wonder drug that works wonders," Han said to Leia. "He's gonna taste that for weeks, you know."

Leia was not so certain of their son's recovery, but gave a ghost of a smile. "I've only been in the tank once. It's not an experience I care to repeat."

The unspoken question between the two was, what if he doesn't wake up? Neither dared voice it for fear of breathing life into it. They had to believe that Jarik would get better.

"Let me find somewhere we can catch some sleep," Han said to Leia.

"You should get some sleep," Leia said to him.

"So should you."

Leia shook her head vehemently. "Not until he wakes up."

"That could take a while."

"Then I'll sleep in my chair."

Han simply nodded. Eventually, they were going to need some sleep in order to help Jarik. Leia was normally quite practical about basic human needs, but she was a mother, and as Han had learned over the years, nothing is more dangerous than a mother with a child in pain. Leia went from ferocious to deadly in less than five seconds, as Han had learned over the years. He wasn't about to press his luck.

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Jaina, Jacen, Anakin, Jag and Tenel Ka finished cramming the remains into their speeders.

"Got any room to breathe back there?" Jacen asked Anakin, who had containers on both sides of him and on the floor, forcing his knees to his chin. Anakin was five and a half centimeters shorter than Jacen, which wasn't helping him much.

"Barely."

"I can go back there," Tenel Ka. She also had boxes by her feet, but at least she was shorter than any of them save for Jaina, who'd inherited her mother's petite frame.

"No, sit by Jacen." If Han had taught his sons one thing, it was how to treat a lady - and he was quick to pounce on them if they deviated from what he deemed proper behavior. Han had always tried to be a gentleman, even if he and Leia spent three years dissing each other at the tops of their lungs. Sometimes one had to be creative in order to succeed, he'd explained.

At the moment, he just hoped his son would make the best of his stubbornness and hang on.


	4. Chapter 4

AFTER THE FIRE

Chapter 4

Leia and Han had had no idea how long they'd been with Jarik when there was a knock on the plexiglass.

It was Quall.

"Can I come in?" Quall asked.

"Fine, but keep it short. We're tight on room here," Han said to him. "He probably won't be able to hear you, anyway."

"He's in a coma?" Quall asked, alarm crossing his face.

"Yes, he is," Leia hissed at him. For some reason, the appearance of the young man had raised her hackles. She wasn't sure why.

"Jarik, dude, don't know if you can hear this, but I won first place, and I'm gonna split the prize money with you like we always do." Quall was white as a sheet and was extremely nervous. "That sucks about your sled. I was sure you were gonna take it this year."

"Okay, enough," Leia snapped at him. "I'd like you to leave. Now."

"Uh, okay. I'll catch up with you later."

"Go home to Coruscant and don't bother him," Leia said, anger rumbling deep in her throat.

Quall took off with haste.

"Leia, what was that all about?" Han asked his wife. "I know we're really stressed over our boy, but we've known Quall for fifteen years. He practically grew up at our place. He's a nice kid. Not the brightest, but hey, not all of us can be."

"I don't know. I just don't want him here."

"It is a little crowded."

"No, Han, I don't want him here. I'm really wondering how a guy who barely places in most races manages to pull off a win on the day our son is critically injured."

"Okay, I think the stress is getting to you. You need some sleep, sweetheart."

"Don't patronize me!" Leia snarled at Han.

"I'm just laying out the facts here," Han said calmly.

"Well, don't you find it odd that he won?"

Han shrugged. "I've had my share of luck. Sometimes it's worth more than being good."

"No, Han, I think he's responsible for this."

"Is that what your Force sense is saying?" Han demanded, his tone cooling significantly.

"It's saying, I've got a bad feeling about this kid."

Han wanted to urge her to get some rest, to let it go for a while. But he knew his wife better than that.

"I'll get you another kaf."

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The siblings made it back to Coruscant late in the evening.

"I'm gonna get started on this right now," Anakin announced.

"We need to get Allana and the boys," Tenel Ka informed Jacen and everyone else. "And Jaina and Jag need to get Taci. Chewie's probably losing his mind by now."

"That's fine, but I'm not going to sleep till I figure this out," Anakin said stubbornly.

"I'll be back in the morning to help you," Jag offered.

"Same here," Jaina said, giving him a hug.

"Appreciate it," Anakin mumbled as he began to unpack the sled's parts.

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Anakin looked at the parts in front of him. There were literally hundreds of them. Some had been distorted so badly it was difficult to tell where they fit, but he wasn't about to give up. His kid brother was unconscious in a medcenter hundreds of miles away and he felt he owed his younger brother that much. They'd spent many pleasant hours working on the vehicle, and they had had so much fun building it. They'd argued, of course, when it came to certain things, but it was more of a spirited discussion than anything else, and they'd always ended up laughing.

Anakin was trying to use the Force to clear his mind to work. If he was going to do this properly, he had to examine every piece, and then attempt to put it back together. He needed to push disturbing thoughts out of his mind in order to maintain calm, thoughts that went in the direction of, what if he doesn't wake up, and who did this. He did a short meditation in order to focus on the work in front of him. He had not understood in the beginning of his training the importance of meditation. Several events had driven it home for him, and none more than this one.

But it was still going to be a long night. Nothing would change that.


	5. Chapter 5

AFTER THE FIRE

Chapter 5

Han was trying to doze off in the brutally uncomfortable chair. Leia had caved in to exhaustion and was leaning against him as she slept. He had his arm around her, holding her close. He was so incredibly tired. His joints ached miserably. This was a lot easier when I was younger, he muttered to himself. It reminded him constantly that he was 65 years old, a fact he'd just as soon forget.

He looked over at his son, floating in the anti-grav bed that would keep the pressure off his joints and injuries. Jarik remained unconscious. The medics had said that Jarik could wake up in five minutes, five months, five years, or never. He was somewhat healed over from the first and very long bacta treatment.

Han reminded himself that his son took after him, that Jarik was strong, that he'd recover. The father and son sharing off color jokes and bawdy Corellian drinking songs as they worked on the _Falcon_ and Jarik's various and sundry racing vehicles. Watching smashball together and sharing Alderaanian ales, playing a round of sabacc. Most of all, Jarik had a great sense of humor and made Han laugh nearly all the time.

The thought that he might lose his cherished youngest son was not welcome, and Han fought it with the discipline he'd developed at an early age to help him shut out debilitating thoughts.

He was nearly asleep when he was awakened by a rustling. He opened his eyes, and in the dim light he could see that Jarik was moving about in his bed. He began moaning.

"Leia, he's moving," Han said, gently waking his wife. Jarik had begun thrashing about.

"Jarik, honey, we're here," Leia said softly to him, taking his hand. "Dad and I are here with you."

His eyes opened slightly, blinking.

His thin, hoarse voice came out finally. "Mom? Dad?"

"We're right here, kiddo," Han assured his son, pushing his son's matted hair out of his eyes.

Jarik opened his eyes. His vitals began to waver some, setting off the alarms, but his parents were overjoyed.

"Where am I?" Jarik asked them, his eyes still slightly unfocused.

"In a medcenter near where you crashed," Han told him.

"Honey, what is the last thing you remember?" Leia asked him gently.

"I...I...I'm not sure. Why does my mouth taste like bacta?"

"You were marinated in it," Han explained.

"I'm so thirsty," he rasped to his parents.

One of the med droids appeared.

"He's awake," Han said.

"And so he is." The droid came closer to Jarik. "How do you feel?"

"Thirsty," Jarik said again.

"I will bring you some water." The droid momentarily disappeared.

Another med droid appeared. "You are awake. This is very hopeful."

"He recognized us," Han said.

"Very good. Jarik, how do you feel?"

"Like I stink like bacta," he answered.

"Hey buddy, I wasn't gonna say anything," Han teased his son.

"You're all heart, Dad," Jarik said weakly.

"I always am," Han said, grinning at him.

Leia's heart leapt. Jarik might be shaky on a lot of details, but he knew who his parents were and his sense of humor was intact.

The one med droid came with a cup of water. Leia took it. "Sip, don't gulp," she ordered Jarik. Han helped raise him up slowly. Jarik winced in pain but Han kept his touch gentle. Leia raised the cup to him. Jarik choked on the first few sips but he was very parched.

The water cup emptied, Jarik closed his eyes. "So tired," he whispered. His eyes closed and he seemed to relax.

Leia bent down to kiss her son. Han wrapped his arm around Leia's waist.

"I think we need some sleep," Han said gently. "In a real bed."

"I think you might be right," she conceded.

"There's a lodge not far from here. Hey buddy, we'll be back in a few hours," Han said to his son as he squeezed Jarik's hand. "I think he's gonna be okay, sweetheart."

"It'll be awhile."

"Which is why we're going to get some rest. We'll comm the kids tomorrow."

"I suspect they already know."

"No doubt. It's part of their charm."

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Anakin was weary as he tried to lay out the wreckage of the rocket sled. He was doing his best to reconstruct it, which was made somewhat easier due to the fact that he'd been in on much of the design. But many of the pieces he and Jarik had constructed had been damaged during the crash, and it was going to take a lot of time.

He leaned against the wall of Jarik's work bay, closing his eyes. He'd take a short break. He needed some more kaf, and he'd have to make a new pot of it, having already drunk an entire one.

As he sat quietly, his eyes closed, something stirred him. But it was something peaceful and calm.

"Jarik," he whispered. He knew that Jarik had no Force sense and couldn't hear him. But he hoped that Jarik at least knew how much he loved him.

He was pretty sure his kid brother would figure it out. In the meantime, the wave of peace and calm urged him to rest. There was going to be a lot of work to be done, and the Force told him, rest now.

Anakin wanted to fight the urge to sleep, but the Force had a weird way of knowing what one's body needed. He found a floor mat that they used when having to do something lying down, and fell into a quiet sleep.

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	6. Chapter 6

AFTER THE FIRE

Chapter 6

Leia and Han returned to the medcenter after five hours of sleep. It was less than what they really needed but they felt they couldn't leave Jarik for long. And it had helped; neither felt as if they were sleeping on their feet.

"I am glad you have arrived," the nurse droid said to them. "Jarik is alert but he is very uncomfortable."

"Good that he's alert. Bad that he's in pain," Han remarked.

Leia and Han went over to the cubile with transparent walls.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Leia greeted her son with a kiss on his forehead.

"I'm not sleepy," Jarik snarled.

"Looks like someone's feeling better," Han commented, smiling at his boy.

"Are you kidding? I hurt like hells," Jarik snapped at him.

"He is getting pain medication, is he not?" Leia asked the nurse droid.

"Yes, he is."

"Well, how come it's not doing anything?" Any good humor Jarik possessed had left him for the moment.

"You'd know if they weren't, kiddo. Trust me," Han said to him, laying a hand on his son's.

"Every time you say that I get worried," Jarik shot back at him.

"I always knew you were smart," Leia told him dryly, but with a smile.

Jarik finally gave his mother a wan smile. "I can't believe I'm in this much pain. The suit was supposed to keep me from getting hurt."

"Buddy, if you hadn't had the suit, we wouldn't be having this conversation," Han told him. "You're traveling at 700 kilometers an hour and you hit the ground, you're gonna be a splotch on the ground."

"I don't remember crashing," Jarik said, frowning.

"It happened, honey," Leia said, her eyes on Jarik. "We're not doing this for fun."

"Guess there's that," Jarik conceded. He turned his eyes to his father. "Anyone hit me?"

"No, no run ins," Han said. "Anakin's working on the sled, or what's left of it. He's not sure, but he thinks it was the pumps that lube the slide rails."

"What the hells? I checked 'em out before I raced. They were fine!" If Han had taught Jarik anything, it was to be thorough in a precheck. He'd stressed to his son that not doing prechecks was a good way to end up very dead. He frowned. "Who won?"

"Believe it or not, Quall did," Han told him.

A smile spread across Jarik's face. "Finally!"

Han and Leia looked at each other. Han shot his wife a look that warned her not to say anything about Quall. Leia gave him an imperceptible nod. Of course Jarik would be happy that his friend won. Jarik's warmth and generosity were well known.

A lot would depend upon what Anakin, along with Jaina and Jag, could figure out. They'd had the Force vision, but Jarik relied on the empirical.

Jarik made a face again. "I can still taste the bacta. Worse than Bantha crap."

"About the same consistency as well," Han added. Jarik made a face at his father, making Han laugh.

"I'm not gonna even ask how you know that," Jarik groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Now you see why I can't take him anywhere," Leia remarked dryly.

"Can't help you there," Jarik said, flashing his mother a smile.

There was a quiet voice near the entrance. "May I come in?" Han and Leia didn't recognize this particular droid, who resemebled Threepio but in gleaming chrome.

"It's not a real exciting party, but why not?" Han shrugged. The droid entered.

"Han Jarik Solo, how are you?" the droid asked their son.

"I could use some more pain meds," Jarik said.

"I am A4GL, and I am a surgical droid. We have you on a maximum dose of pain medication. What needs to be done is repairing the bones you have broken."

"Bones, as in plural," Jarik said, his expression skeptical.

"Yes. You have fractured both tibias and fibulas, along with crushing part of your pelvis. Fortunately, your femurs are not affected, as we feared they would be. You did receive some burns on your arms and face but the bacta treatment seems to have taken care of those. You are a very fortunate young man, considering how you might well have died had you not had protective gear. I am curious, though: the crash suit you had. Where did you get it?"

"My brother Anakin designed it," Jarik said proudly, beaming. "To think I wasn't all that impressed when he did it. Glad he was thinking ahead of me."

"I have seen so many terrible injuries in rocket sled racers. Most of them do not survive, but the ones that do are usually paralyzed or crippled for life. Your suit could save many lives."

"You're gonna have to talk to my bro. He's the brains."

"I would very much like that. It should be required equipment."

"I'll tell him. He could make some good bank off that." Jarik frowned again. "So like, what's this surgery all about? Can't you like put it in a cast? I mean, like these pressure boots, aren't they putting it back together?"

"The pressure boots are meant to keep your circulation intact."

"You couldn't like do a plastisteel cast?"

"I'm afraid not. Your broken bones are in small pieces. What we will do is go in, set the bones, and inject you with enzymes that will accelerate healing."

"I had that done," Han said to his son, taking the boy's hand. "It's not that bad."

"So when can I get back racing again?" Jarik asked. Leia's face became a mask of horror.

"You are planning to race again?" A4GL did not attempt to hide his shock.

"I love racing," Jarik said, shrugging. "It's what I do."

"Perhaps you should rethink that decision. I cannot force you to do anything. I can only advise."

"So when I am gonna get the chop job?" Jarik asked A4GL.

"I have you on the schedule for tomorrow. You appear to be stable, but we would like to see you continue to be so for the next 24 hours. I have to say that I am surprised that you attained consciousness so quickly."

"He was out for three days. That was pretty long to his mom and me," Han said to the droid. Han was not terribly fond of droids and this one was no exception. Threepio had been a faithful servant for many years, but he still got under Han's skin.

"We do not normally see patients return to consciousness so quickly. Han Jarik, you will require another bacta treatment."

"Oh, please." Jarik moaned unhappily. "Anything but that."

"I am sorry you find the treatments displeasing. However, it will keep you from developing infections, something you are very prone to at this time."

"Gods, I hate this," Jarik muttered. "Okay, okay, whatever." He looked at his parents. "You guys look like crap. You oughta get some sleep or something."

"How long will he be in the bacta treatment?" Leia asked the droid.

"Six hours."

"We can stay," Leia said to Jarik.

"What, you wanna watch me get basted? Seriously, Mom. Take Dad and at least get something to eat."

"What makes you think we haven't eaten?" Han said to his son.

"'Cause I know you guys. Go on, get outta here."

"We'll come back after the treatment," Leia said, leaning over to kiss him.

"Yeah, and bring something good to drink. My mouth tastes like crap."

"Some kavasa and orange tea?" Leia asked him.

Jarik grinned at her. "See, you know me, too."


	7. Chapter 7

AFTER THE FIRE

Chapter 7

Jaina and Jag studied the parts Anakin had laid on the floor. He'd been able to identify some of them and placed them in the order of assembly.

"You look like hell," Jag said to his brother in law.

"I'm all right," Anakin added. "Some of the pieces are so twisted or broken I'm not exactly sure where they went. I'm using the Force as much as I can, but you know how it goes."

"I think I can help you with that," Jaina said to him. She sat down on the ground and began with a meditation exercise. Jag was used to this. He walked quietly around and picked up several pieces, a few of which he was able to identify. Jarik was more than a brother in law; he was a friend, and they spent many hours busting on each other.

Fueled by hope, the Force and not an insignificant amount of kaf, they spent nearly seven hours organizing the pieces of the sled. Then each piece needed to be examined. It was slow, tedious work. They called Bakura Barbecue to deliver some food, realizing that lack of nourishment was not improving their dispositions.

Now that the pieces were more or less in order, it was time to examine each in detail.

"And I thought just organizing 'em was work," Jag commented.

"That was the easy part," Jaina assured him. "Now we've gotta get to work."

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Jarik was back in bed after six hours in the bacta tank. He grumbled about the horrible taste in his mouth. Leia had gotten him several containers of his favorite beverage, and he drank them with more gusto than he should have, but he was going to be without food and water until surgery the next day. Han had managed to find him a moderately decent meal; where they were didn't offer much in the way of choices. Jarik didn't eat very much of it.

"That's the smallest meal you've ever eaten," Han told his son, his tone teasing.

"Yeah, well, I'll make up for it when I get home," he said, giving the lopsided grin he'd inherited from his father.

The treatment and food and drink had made the young man weary. Han and Leia would be back at the medcenter early; the surgery was to begin at what they considered to be oh gods thirty.

"You guys should go back to where you're staying," Jarik said, clearly in pain and worn out. "I got a long day ahead of me." He looked at his parents, first Han, then Leia. "Uh, Dad? You mind if I talk to Mom alone for a minute?"

The parents looked at each other. Han shrugged, simply saying, "Sure."

Once Han had cleared the area, Leia took her son's hand in hers. He had inherited Han's large hands.

"Uh, Mom? I'm kinda scared off my ass."

Leia had her own fears, but she smiled at him. "I'm sure things will go well. You're young and you're strong." She wasn't going to share her concerns at the moment with her son.

"Don't spread it around, okay? I got a rep to keep up."

Leia couldn't help but laugh. "I remember once I told your father that his reputation was, well, unique." Those weren't the words she'd used on Han, but it conveyed the idea.

"What'd he say?"

"He said, reputation? I have a reputation?!"

Both mother and son smiled. Leia stood up and bent down to kiss her youngest child on the forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow, Hotshot Junior," she said affectionately.

"Thanks, Mom. Can I see Dad for a minute?"

"I don't think he's strayed too far, although this is your father we're talking about." That got a chuckle from Jarik. "Good night, sweetie. You'll be fine."

Leia exited the cubicle. "I think it's your turn," she said to Han.

Jarik smiled at Han. "Hey, Dad."

"What's on your mind, kiddo?"

"Um...you know...I get the feeling Mom wants me to give up racing."

"She's felt that way since you crashed your first go-cart."

"What if I don't want to give it up?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. In the meantime, do everything you can to get well. I'm sick of being out here in the middle of nowhere with lousy beer."

"Yeah. I kinda hate it here."

"You're supposed to."

"For once I'm doing what I'm supposed to?" Jarik was trying to keep it light.

"I know, we should mark the calendar."

"Do you know what's up with my sled?"

"Jaina, Jag and Anakin are working on it, or at least what they could salvage." Han was hesitant to say more. Jaina and Anakin were highly suspicious that the sled had been tampered with. He didn't want to say anything to Jarik that would make him think that. Not now.

"Cool. Next time, I'll know where we can make it better."

Han squeezed his son's hand. "Get some sleep, buddy. The sooner you can get better, the sooner we're outta here."

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"Jarik's having surgery tomorrow," Jaina announced after ending a comm with Han. Jag slipped an arm over her shoulder.

"I think he'll be all right," Anakin said calmly. In truth, the Force never provided an exact outcome, but his level of nervousness was within a range that was, to his mind, normal. He'd meditate later. But there was still much work to be done and Anakin was not interested in resting.

A momentary lull in conversation made apparent footsteps coming into the workspace.

"Hi," a voice called tentatively.

"Quall, what are you doing here?" Jaina's hostility rose immediately.

"Um...I was wondering...if you needed help on Jarik's sled," Quall said. He had apparently not expected a hostile reception and looked uncomfortable.

"No, thank you," Anakin said, keeping his tone level.

"I think you should leave," Jag said to the person Jarik considered a friend. "We're doing fine here."

"How's Jarik?" Quall asked.

Jag flicked his thumb towards the entryway. "You heard the siblings. Scram."

"You guys act like it's my fault that Jarik got hurt! What's wrong with you?" Quall was affronted.

"This is family business," Jaina told him, rising to her full height. She was petite like her mother, but when she was angry, she seemed to take on monstrous proportions. "You are not family. Leave."

"Okay, okay! Kriff! I come to try to help and you treat me like crap!" Quall said as he left.

After he was out of earshot, Jag asked Jaina, "Do you really think he tampered with the sled?"

"I've got a really bad feeling about it," she said.

"And I've got a really horrible feeling about it," Anakin informed his brother in law. "Let's get back to work."


	8. Chapter 8

AFTER THE FIRE

Chapter 8

Han and Leia were in their room at the lodge. Han had smashball on the holovision, but it was obvious he wasn't paying attention. Normally, he got utterly involved in the game and would scream at the holo. Today, he was remarkably subdued.

The surgeon droid told them that the surgery would take many hours, and that they should try to rest. The couple took their advice. They hadn't slept well, and initially they attempted to go back to sleep, with poor results.

"Let's get something to eat," Han suggested to Leia.

"I'm not really hungry," she said.

"Neither am I, but we're not doing too well with sleeping. Might as well do something else."

Leia studied her husband's face. She knew he was frightened and that he'd never admit it. She touched his arm to let him know that she knew.

It was not one of the better moments of their lives.

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Jaina and Anakin continued to work; Jag had gone home to take care of their daughter. The battered sled was starting to take form. The two were still searching for something that looked as if it had been tampered with. So far, they'd come up empty handed.

Both were exhausted and waiting for their parents to call with news of Jarik. They had the sense that Jarik would probably be well, but it wouldn't be immediate.

"I'm thinking we might have been wrong," Jaina said, resignation in her voice.

"No, we're not. We just have to be really careful," Anakin said to her. "If you wanna split, go for it. I'm sure Taci misses you."

"No, I'll keep going."

The two studied everything that required magnification. They were worn out but determined to go on. Both were convinced that the Force had not been inaccurate, if not terribly specific.

Finally, Anakin examined the slide rails. There was a series of tiny fuel pumps that lubricated them driven by basic hydraulics. His engineering background told him that the pumps should have been torn off in a rough fashion.

These cuts were smooth, expertly placed, not harshly ripped.

"Jaina," Anakin called. "Come and look at these."

The petite woman came to sit with her brother, her magnifier in hand.

"See that?" Anakin asked her. "What happens normally is that they get twisted and and they get torn off. See these? They have nice, clean cuts."

"Holy mother of Jedi," Jaina breathed in.

"It's a common design. Didn't really get creative on that part," Anakin said. "Only thing Jarik and me did with them was instead of like three or four pumps, we made sixteen small ones."

"More even coverage," Jaina nodded. "And there's only one person who'd have helped work on it."

The two siblings stared at each other and said aloud, in unison, "Quall."

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Han and Leia had been waiting for hours. Han was playing online sabacc. Leia tried to read a mindless romance novel. It was a day they both desperately wanted to end, with good news.

Han's comm went off. "Hey sweetie," he said to Jaina.

"How's Jarik?"

"He's still in surgery."

"Daddy, we've been working like mad on the sled. Ani found something. It was in the lube pumps."

"Oh, gods."

Leia was immediately on alert and listened quietly as father and daughter conversed.

"What he discovered was that all of the pump hoses had been cut. There's no way he had any moisture on 'em when he crashed."

"And Quall worked on it with him," Han said, the color draining out of his face.

"That's about the size of it. Here, Ani wants to talk to you."

Anakin came online. "Hey Dad. You still waiting on Jarek?"

"Yep. How're you?"

"I've been better."

"Yeah, I get that."

Han handed Leia the comm. "Hi sweetie," Leia said to her middle son. "Not a very good day."

"No. It's not. What's really weird is that Quall came by earlier. We told him to get lost."

"To think that kid spent so much time with us. We've known him since he was five. He grew up around us." Leia was horribly sad.

"Yeah. Jarik probably won't believe it."

"It's going to take some convincing, but let's not worry over that tonight," Leia told Anakin, her voice gentle. "Try to get some sleep, honey. Jaina, that goes for you, too."

"You're such a mom," Anakin said.

"Once you turn on the mom genes, there's no turning back."

"Constitutive operators," Anakin said.

"What was that?"

"Constitutive operators. Once you turn 'em on you can't turn 'em off. Jacen told me that."

"I think that goes for dads, too," Leia told him. "Get some rest, you two. We love you."

As soon as the comm was ended, the orthopedic droid appeared in the waiting area. "Han Jarik is doing well."

Both parents let out a breath, one they'd been holding for longer than they suspected.

"Thank the gods," Leia breathed.

"He will require much therapy. But he will be well. He is very strong," the droid continued. "You may see him shortly."

The couple slumped on to the miserable sofa. Leia was not normally given to tears, but she buried her face against Han's chest and let the tears flow. Han just held her tightly against him for the longest time.

When she'd calmed, he asked softly, "Think we can get some sleep tonight?"

"If we can't get it tonight, I don't know when we can."


	9. Chapter 9

AFTER THE FIRE

Chapter 9

Jarik had tolerated surgery well. He was exhausted and had to endure yet another bacta treatment, but his good humor had returned in short order. Four days after surgery, he was released and was able to travel back to the capital city. He had a long road of rehab ahead of him, but he retained his characteristic optimism. Of the four, Jarik was the least inclined to grumble about pain.

Han and Leia's joy at their son's homecoming and recovery was tempered with what they knew about Quall. If anything was going to hurt Jarik, it was that. They'd asked Jaina, Jacen and Anakin not to say anything to their youngest brother. They reluctantly agreed.

"Good thing your mom's a VIP, kiddo, or you'd be trotting off to therapy at the medcenter," Han said to him. They were sitting with the therapy droid, G56, who would be making every other day visits.

"Thanks Mom," Jarik called out, laughing.

"Nice to know my hard work yielded something," Leia laughed. "G56, it's nearly dinnertime for us."

"I shall return tomorrow. Have a pleasant evening," the droid said as it took its leave. Leia had cooked the dinner while Han and Jarik watched smashball.

"This smells really good," Jarik said, stifling a yawn. He was still terribly sore and his appetite had been weak, but that was likely to be temporary. "Hey, after dinner I gotta call Quall. I mean like, he won and all, I never got to congratulate him."

Han and Leia passed a look that was nearly imperceptible to anyone but them.

As Han was clearing the dishes (assuring his youngest son that once he was on his feet again he would definitely be required to participate in such tasks), his comm went off.

"Hey Dad." It was Anakin.

"What's going on?"

"I got the security footage from the prep area from the race."

"Who'd you bribe?"

"You don't wanna know. Actually, I just asked for it and they said they'd let me look it over."

"And?"

"It's...it's what I thought."

Han's heart sank. His youngest son was so eager to see his longtime friend, who apparently wasn't such a good friend after all.

"Thanks, kiddo. You headed back to Corellia?"

"Not tonight. Was wondering if I could bunk at your place."

"Sure."

"See you shortly."

Han put the last of the dishes in the washer. "Looks like Anakin's coming over for the night."

"Cool," Jarik said. "You said he's been working on my sled."

"Yeah, he has. I'll let him tell you about it."

"I gotta call Quall, though." He picked up his comm and punched in Quall's code. After several signals, it went to record. Jarik frowned. "That's weird. I don't think Quall's got a ladyfriend or anything. Ah well. He'll get back at me."

Leia was tempted to say, he already has. But she maintained radio silence. Han took her hand and led her to the bedroom.

"I don't know how Jarik's going to take this," Leia said sadly. "Quall's practically grown up in our place."

"I think it's gonna be hard. Jarik's got a big heart and he's pretty forgiving. But this might be too much even for him."

"Think we should be with the boys when Anakin shows him the holos?"

"I think we should be here if he needs us."

END 


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